The Clifton clarion., 1887-03-30
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30. 1887
TRICKS OF SjsCGGLEE;S. Methods of intrS,iuciDg Precious Gems Ento the Initea States.

Methods CT hnsrSdUctuS Srecious
 Gems Ento the Inifea States.
 1t was stated few months ago in an American paper that rich mans wife wore upon her neck and breast every evening precious stones of the value of f40, 1000, other ladies displaying jewels to a lesser amount. Nor are American ladies free from the charge of smuggling; many of them, indeed are adopts at tho business, able to impart a secret or two to the pro fessionals. During recent Sara toga season one lady was heard to boast that she had brought over a suit of diamonds m the heels of several pairs of slippers, which she had made on purpose to con tain them. These dainty articles were ostentatious!y displayed and taken notice of by the seGrchers; but the heels were not suspected to be hollow or to contain dia
 monds. Hollow-heeled boots were at one time greatly in use as part of the smuggling machinery. That mode of carrying on the illi- cit traffic was ultimately discover ed by an under steward of an American liner, who, for consid
 eration, communicated the secret to the custom house authorities. Then followed series of contri
 vances in the shape of double bot toned trunks, valises with secret pockets, desks with inside drawers, and guns and pistols which were so contrived as to contain few of the much-coveted gems. All these contrivances were in turn discov- cred: they were just the kind of concealments which the officers had their thoughts fixed upon. Just as the customs authorities were under the impression that they had suppressed the illicit traffic q new era in gem smugg- ling was inaugurated, and more diamonds entered the United States duty free than before. Smuggling, it may be said, devel- oped into fine art; at all events, the incidence of the trade for brief period became so simple as to seem like child's play; indeed, children were made to play an i'm
 portant part in the business. A story which lately became public shows how well the modern dia- mond smugglers had laid to heart Foes precepis. Please to hold my baby while my husband helps me to open my trunks; he will be quite good if you will shake his rattle" said lady passenger to the officer who was waiting to look over her travelling gear. And that officer spontaneously did as he wasrequested, shaking therattle, to tine great delight of the little one. The rattle in question, which, fast ened to q ribbon, was tied to the child's wrist, was filled with gems of great value, mode of smng- yling that at the time was too sim pie for detection. \ clever woman attired in tho costume of Sister of Mercy, was passed over by the officers because she had no lug
 gage worth examining. She pos sessed. however, a fine string O! beads. which, with downcast eyes, she kept telling. Safe on land, she was very atfectionately wei comed by two persons dressed in costumes similar to her own. Need 1t be told that she was Q smugglcr. and that her beads were so constructed that each held q diamond weighing seven or eight carats: Another ingenious person hit upon the plan of placing few pccious stones in toy kgleido- scope, which had been given to a child, who carried it ashore in safe
 ty. A number of homing pigeons kept in cages and purchased at a village in Belgium and brought to the United States hy the way of Paris and Havrc, also played q profitable part, each pigeon being freighted with a cargo of eXquisit gems concealed in quills and care fully fastened to the message bearing dove. An extensive sys- tenn of diamond smuggling was at one time carried on from Canadian ground by the aid Of homing pi- geons. The discovery of this illicit trade was made accidently by farmer who happened to shoot one of the birds, and on examining 1t found that there were fastened to